


The Other Side

by Alteran_Tech



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Not Human
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-16
Updated: 2014-07-16
Packaged: 2018-02-09 02:40:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1965843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alteran_Tech/pseuds/Alteran_Tech
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Detective John Sheppard just wants to find his killer, but it proves to be more difficult than he ever imagined when he meets Meredyth.</p><p>Agent Meredyth is on his first case and he finds more than he bargained for in John.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Other Side

**Author's Note:**

> This came out a lot faster than I imagined it would. Also, I seem to have an almost unhealthy love for the name Meredith and all its different spellings, but it seemed to fit so well for this story.
> 
>  
> 
> (I tried going with the classic cheesy romance novel blurb for my summary. How did it work out?)

John kicked the rock lying at his feet, idly wondering if he could kick it hard enough in his frustration to put a hole in the brick wall. This case was killing him slowly, one bit at a time, and it had only started two weeks ago. The more bodies he saw, the less of his soul was left, and with every dried husk, the more he despaired of humanity.

“Hey Shep, you doing okay?” Lorne asked, making his way down the alley John was hiding in.

Even Lorne had been John’s partner for four years ever since his last partner was caught sneaking drugs out of evidence. John had thought Ford had promise, but it looked like his gut had been wrong for once.

“No, Lorne. Does it look like I’m okay? There’s no evidence. Every single fucking time these murders happen there’s no god damned evidence. How the hell are we supposed to catch this guy?” John growled. He was on his last nerve with this thing. He sighed knowing it wasn’t Lorne’s fault. “Sorry, this thing’s just getting to me.”

“You wouldn’t be human if it didn’t.” Lorne stepped up to him and laid a friendly hand on his shoulder. John tried not to shrug it off. “They’re bound to make a mistake sometime. There’s no such thing as a perfect murder.”

“Yeah.” John nodded. He chose to ignore the voice in his head that reminded him of the hundreds of murders that went unsolved every year.

They shoved their way back through the throng of curious bystanders to the blindingly yellow police tape that sectioned out the scene. Bending down and under it, John caught sight of the covered corpse again and felt a pang in his heart. If it was who he thought, the kid had only been twelve. He didn’t deserve to have his life snatched away before he’d even had a chance to live it.

“Hey Jennifer. You got anything for us yet?” John asked the medical examiner. He could never figure out why she came instead of a coroner, but she was there every time without fail. She was probably pulling double duty.

“I’m pretty sure this is Toby Lanskey, our missing kid. His clothing and height seem to be right, but of course with the state of the bodies we can’t determine its age until we do some testing,” she said, not even glancing up from her notepad.

“Yeah, I figured.” John glanced around the scene. Nothing was out of the ordinary from what he could see. Nothing but the body which had appeared sometime over night with a mysterious hand print on its chest.

It was the same every time. A kid went missing and a day later reappears, dried out and flaking like a mummy. John didn’t want to know what could do that to a person, but it was his job to find out none the less.

Movement off to the side brought his attention to a man moving away from the crowd. He was average looking, a little shorter than John, receding hair, broad, but what twinged at John’s senses was that he’d seen that guy before. Not only that, but he’d seen him at more than a few of the crime scenes before.

“I’ll be right back,” John told the others as he made to follow the guy.

The man made his way to an alley about a block down the street and turned down it, looking around before he entered. John had just enough time to duck into a doorway so he wasn’t seen.

Trotting up to the alley, he peaked around the corner to see the guy reach into his pocket. John pulled open his jacket and set his hand on his gun just in case the guy pulled out a weapon. He didn’t dare take his eyes of the stranger as he did it.

The man pulled out his hand, clutching something tightly in his fist. He muttered something, his lips moving fluidly over unfamiliar words, but John couldn’t catch what was said from his hiding spot. The guy suddenly threw it at the brick wall. It looked like a powder, dust floating in the air, and then he… _stepped through the wall._

John blinked his eyes a few times, trying to clear his vision. He could not have seen what he thought he’d seen. He crept slowly down the alley and up to the perfectly normal looking wall. He ran his hands over it, trying to find a seam or switch or… something, anything to explain what he’d seen.

There was nothing but a tingle in his finger tips, not even a loose brick in the mortar. He stepped back and frowned up at the building. Where the hell did he go? John kicked the wall in frustration.

His first lead and he lost it. Just his luck.

“Hey Shep! You coming back any time soon?”

John jumped at the sound of Lorne’s voice and flushed. “Uh, yeah. I’ll be right there,” he said sheepishly. Lorne disappeared around the corner, but not before he gave John a funny look.

John took one last look at the wall. “I think you’re going insane from the stress, John. After this case you’re taking a vacation.”

John shook his head at himself and made his way back to the crime scene.

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

“Please tell me you have something, Meredyth,” Elizabeth demanded as she leaned forward on her desk, her hands clasped before her.

Rodney shifted nervously in his seat. This was his first case and he wanted to get it right. “Uh, not as such. But I couldn’t get close enough to do a tracing spell,” he hastily added before she could open her mouth.

Her tiny iridescent wings fluttered in agitation. “I don’t care what you have to do to get closer, just do it.” She sighed. “We can’t have any more deaths in the human world. It draws too much attention, Meredyth.”

“Rodney,” he corrected automatically, momentarily forgetting he didn’t go by that here.

She frowned. “Maybe you’re spending too much time on The Other Side.”

He huffed and crossed his arms. “I happen to like the name Rodney. Meredyth is a girl’s name over there.”

She raised one of her perfectly shaped eyebrows, its dark outline crawling up her pale face, “My point exactly. If I had anyone that knew their world like you do, they’d be taking your place.”

“But you don’t,” Rodney pointed out smugly. She needed him and she knew it.

“No, I don’t," she agreed, "The only ones who have that much knowledge and can successfully pass for any length of time are Carson and Chuck, but they’re not field trained yet.”

Carson was a Changeling. He had been traded to the human world as a gift to a mother whose child had been dying, as all Changelings were. Carson had been retrieved and had returned to the Other Planes about twenty years ago, once his human mother had died. Carson was a little awkward when it came to living in The Other Planes since he didn’t grow up in them, but he was learning like all of his kind did. Carson currently served as their chief healer, because his medical knowledge of both the practical and magical were unsurpassed.

Chuck was a Doppelganger, or Doppy. They had the ability to steal memories or appearances, but he’d only been working for them for five years and he was still young. Chuck worked at regulating all the traffic that came and went through Atlantis.

Rodney himself had lived in on The Other Side for years as many of his own kind did for the sake of knowledge, but that had been a while ago. It was proving to be a steep learning curve to get caught up on everything back there, even with his habit of watching TV. Hell, the waters hadn’t even felt right anymore, like they were contaminated. It made him afraid to go swimming there. Who knew what sort of toxic waste was floating in those waters?

“I’ll do my best,” Rodney told her. He was itching to get out of her office. It was too cramped and he needed to swim in the clear Lantean ocean a little before he went back to The Other Side, needed to get rid of the sticky feeling the air left on his skin. 

“Good,” she nodded, “You better, because Todd doesn’t like the direction this is going and he’s making my existence difficult,” she said, talking about their Wraith liaison that worked in their Peacekeeping department. Her face softened, “Now go get some rest first. I know you haven’t been sleeping enough since you took this case.”

He scrambled out of his chair at her dismissal and beat a hasty retreat, barely remembering to tell her ‘thanks’ before he left. He jogged through the Portal Room and entered the nearest teleport chamber, selecting the north pier as his destination, As soon as he stepped out into the bright Lantean sun, he could see some other Para-beings playing at the edge of the pier, probably some Merpeople or Water Sprites, but he ignored them in favor of stripping off his human clothes and dropping his façade.

Now in his true form, he slipped into the water with ease and reveled in the feeling of the cool water sloshing over his scales. He was a magnificent example of his species if he said so himself. His silvery-blue scales sparkled in the sun. His spine had sharp spikes trailing down it, as every male did, and his short legs ended in large webbed claws.

He was a little… rounder than a Water Dragon should be, but he thought it made him all the more intimidating.

Something splashed in the water next to him and he startled, flicking his long tail in agitation. He surfaced to see who was trying to get his attention.

There, on the edge of the pier, stood Ronon about ready to throw another of his damned rocks. It disappeared from his hand as soon as he saw Rodney’s head emerge from the deep.

 _”What do you want?”_ He asked using the telepathy that was used as communication in his true form.

“Hey Mer, Teyla says there’s been another hit.”

Rodney shook his head and snorted water out his nose. It was too soon for his Wraith to be at it again. They had a definite pattern going and he didn’t like it when something disturbed a pattern. It never boded well.

He swam down and then propelled himself upward with a powerful swish of his tail. He rocketed out of the water, transforming midair back in to his human form, but he landed a little roughly and stumbled into Ronon.

Ronon steadied him with a grunt of effort. “You’re getting kind of big,” Ronon said in his usual gruff manner.

“You really have no room to talk,” Rodney said as he willed the water away to dry himself and put his clothes back on. Ronon just grunted.

He rolled his eyes. “Fine. Let’s go see Teyla.”

They made their way to the teleporter and exited near the Viewing Rooms. Winding through the halls, they entered one of the off shoots and found Teyla frowning at one of the Viewing Crystals.

The crystals were an ingenious device that tapped into human communications. It was one of his many contributions from when he was leading their R&D department. The fact that it picked up every TV channel ever didn’t hurt either. He’d had a personal one installed in his quarters. Two actually, one for the bathroom and one in his tank.

“Teyla.” Rodney- _Meredyth_ , he reminded himself- nodded in greeting. Maybe he was spending to much time on The Other Side.

She turned to him and smiled, showing off her long fangs unconsciously. She pulled his head down to touch her own. It was an intimate gesture meant only for friends in her culture. He was secretly touched every time she did it.

They had known and worked with each other for centuries, but only recently became teammates when he was promoted to field agent. Ronon was their third, but unfortunately they hadn’t found a forth for their group yet. No one had seemed smart enough for Meredyth, strong enough for Ronon, or agile enough for Teyla.

Teyla pulled back and her smile vanished. “I have grave news,” she said in her overly formal way, pointing to the Viewing Crystal. “There has been another child left on the Other Side. The Wraith is taking too much to be only feeding to survive.” She frowned.

He knew how she felt. A lot of the Creatures living in their dimensions depended on others for their substance, but one of their highest laws and the one PIT, Para-being Investigative Teams, was originally founded to enforce was to not kill any living sentient being.

This had become difficult for some of the Para-beings, for example the Wraith, but if they feed from certain others they could maintain themselves without killing. Teyla’s species, the vampires, were one of the few who couldn’t die from a Wraith feeding. Ronon’s on the other hand, were completely immune. Meredyth guessed being made entirely of rock would do that.

“Fuck, so there’s either more than one or we have a joy killer on our hands.” Meredyth crossed his arms and leaned back against the nearest hard surface… which so happened to be Ronon.

“Get off.” Ronon shoved him away. Meredyth smirked at him, but didn’t say anything else.

“Boys, this is a serious matter. We do not have time to joke.” Teyla had her why-do-I-have-to-put-up-with-this face on. She had that face a lot when they were together.

Rodney scuffed his shoe on the floor sheepishly. “Sorry, you’re right.” He sighed. “I guess I better make my way back to the Other Side. I was hoping for a nap,” he grumbled.

Teyla raised her eyebrow. “Please get the information we need this time.”

Meredyth threw up his hands defensively. “Hey, there were Humans everywhere. There was no way I could get close enough.”

“I am sure you can find a way if you put your mind to it. You are always telling us how smart you are, even for a Dragon.”

Dammit, she had him there.

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

John paced around the scene trying to get his head on straight. This kid had only been missing for three hours before she’d been found at the park in clear view of anyone that happened by. The dumping spots for the bodies always seemed careless, like killer didn’t have any concern to who found them or they just dropped them where the lied. He looked out to the people gathering around just outside the police tape, hoping to see that guy from before. No such luck yet.

John was hoping that the guy would be there. John thought he was one of three things. A crime chaser, one of those people who had nothing better to do than listen to their police scanners. A possible lead in his murder case, which was what he was hoping for. Or the guy was a figment of John’s over worked and under rested mind, which was his least favorite option.

John sighed and made his way over to Keller. “What do we know?”

She lowered the tarp back over the body and sat back on her heels. “It’s the same as always. This one’s probably the little girl missing from the school field trip to the aquarium down the road.” 

Lorne cleared his throat. “I don’t like this. It’s too soon. We’ve only just found the other one this morning.”

John was just about to open his mouth when he finally caught sight of that man from earlier. “Excuse me for a moment guys.”

John made his way nonchalantly over to where the man was standing at the edge of the tape. He was staring intently at the tarp and John didn’t like the way the guy’s attention was on it and only it. Usually the crowd was taken up in the action, glancing from one officer to the next, waiting to hear one tidbit or another, but this guy’s eyes never wavered.

He stepped up to the tape and casually said, “Like what you see?”

The guy jumped as if he hadn’t seen John come over and looked at him, blinking. He gave John a slow once over and said, “I certainly do.”

Ooookay. John hadn’t expected that, but he knew a come on when he heard it. He looked at the guy again. He was a lot better looking up close. Broad and strong, a little soft around the middle, but John kind of liked his guys to be a little… cuddly.

John looked at his face. It wasn’t handsome in the classical sense, but definitely interesting. His chin was sharp, his mouth thin, but soft looking, and his receding hair wasn’t too bad. His eyes though? They were the bluest John had ever seen, deep like the ocean.

He inwardly shook himself. This guy was possibly his murderer and John couldn’t afford to think of him as hot. “I meant the crime scene.”

The man frowned. “Why would I like a crime scene?”

“Maybe because I’ve seen you at the last five.” John raised his eyebrow in question.

The guy immediately started looking shifty, fidgeting his hands and looking from side to side as if looking for a way to escape. “I-I haven’t been at any crime scenes.” He stumbled over his words, “Except for this one of course.”

This guy had to be the worst liar John had ever seen. He scowled dangerously. “I don’t have time to play games here. What do you know about these murders?”

“I don’t know anything!”

John didn’t grab the guy by his collar and shake him, but it was a near thing. He leaned in so he was nose to nose with his potential perp. “I know you’re lying. I can see it in your eyes.”

The man looked a little spooked, but suddenly the sky opened up and let loose the rain that had been threatening to pour down all day. Blue eyes looked up and he smiled wide, mouth quirked slightly at an odd angle. Startled by the abrupt change in mood, John glanced at the sky to see what had caused it. He couldn’t see anything but dark swirling clouds and rain. He looked back down and swore. His suspect had vanished as John was distracted.

He looked around through the crowd of people trying to find his man. There! The guy was rushing off, past the line of trees, and John took off in pursuit. 

The closer he got to Blues Eyes, the harder the rain seemed to pour, making it difficult to catch up, but John was persistent. He never let a perp get away in a foot chase, and he’d be damned if this was going to be any different. He dug in his heels and ran as hard as he could.

He was so close! Just a few more feet and he could get his man. He took a leap, trying for a flying tackle, but all he caught was air. Or more precisely, water.

John blinked dumbly down at the grass bellow him. Blue eyes had just dissolved, melted into the rain, and where John had been hoping he wasn’t going insane before, now he just hoped no one found out. The only proof he had that he wasn’t completely wacko was the pile of clothes the man had left behind.

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

Meredyth reformed in an alley and worked the kinks out of his neck. He hated turning his body to water; he didn’t feel quite right for days afterwards.

He looked down at himself and cursed. Not only was he naked, which was kind of frowned upon in the Human world, but he had also lost his only way back to Atlantis. The specialized Fairy dust that had been in his pocket was the only way to open the portal to Atlantis. He could probably get to one of the other Planes pretty easily by himself, but that wouldn’t get him any closer to home. If he ever got back, Elizabeth was going to be so pissed. She made that dust herself.

He’d have to go see his contact in the human world. That guy was sneaky. He’d probably have a way of contacting PIT.

Meredyth sucked in a deep breath and let himself be part of the rain again. He just hoped downpour didn’t end before he got there. It would be difficult trying to explain to the authorities why he as naked as a Nymph in heat.

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

“Hey Radek. I could use some advice,” John called out as he strolled into Zelenka’s Curiosities.

Radek was his contact for all things weird. Every time something didn’t add up to anything but ‘bizarre’ in one of his cases, John sought out the wily Czech. He had to admit that he should have come to see the guy sooner.

John walked up to the counter of the small shop, passing all manners of charms, herbs, and bottles filled with things John didn’t really want to think about. Radek was reading one of his many books, and frowning down at it like it personally betrayed him.

Radek lifted one finger. “Please wait.”

John rock on his heels and glanced around. He could never figure out why people paid so much money in this day in age for this crap. Did they really think they were getting…? John read the label on the nearest bottle. It said ‘freshly trimmed Werewolf hair’. John snorted. Yeah right, it was probably from the neighbor’s dog.

Radek placed his book carefully down on the counter and peered at John over his glasses. John could never get over the strange silvery color of the man’s eyes.

“How may I help you, Detective?”

“Well, I’m either going crazy or my case has taken a turn into your territory.”

That seemed to peak Radek’s interest. “Oh, what’s happened?”

“My case involves some missing kids turning up as mummies.” John told him. He swore he saw a flash of recognition on Radek’s face. John continued, “But that’s not the strangest part. I’ve seen this guy at my crime scenes least six out of the eight murders. I followed him this morning and he…” John hesitated, but if anyone would believe him, Radek would. “Disappeared into a wall. Not only that, but this afternoon I chased him from the scene and he dissolved into water, leaving his clothes behind. I found this in his pocket.”

John reached into his jacket and pulled out the small pouch he’d found. “It doesn’t look like drugs or anything like that. I’m pretty sure he threw a handful of it at the wall before he stepped through.”

Radek took the pouch from his hands and opened it carefully. John swore he saw him take a sniff at the air. Man, Radek was weird.

“I know what this is,” he said, placing it back down. He continued before John could question him, “And I know the man you speak of.” Radek pinned him with a severe stare. “Do not go any deeper with this, Detective. Lives are at stake. More than you can even imagine. Please believe me when I tell you that man is not your killer. He is working to stop the one who is.”

“You know I can’t do that, Radek. I have to find the murderer and if this guy will lead me to him, I’ll do anything it takes.”

There was a loud crash from the back of the store and John pulled out his gun on reflex, holding it tight.

Radek sighed and then inhaled deeply through his nose. “You might not have to do much, it seems.” He got up from his stool and walked quickly to the door separating the front of the store from the storage room in the back, ignoring John’s warnings to be careful.

Radek opened the door and stepped through, John following at his heels. The first thing John noticed was the boxes stacked throughout the room as high as John’s head. The second thing he noticed was the stark naked man standing in a pool of water near an open window. John put a kibosh on his instinct to politely look away when he noticed that this was his guy.

John raised his weapon and aimed it. “Put your hands on your head and get down on your knees.”

John tried not to think about the mental image of Blue Eyes on his knees for reasons other than an arrest.

“Rodney, have I not explained to you about the need for clothing on this plane?” Radek asked, grabbing a dust cover from a nearby stack, and ignoring John’s hisses, he went to… Rodney, John guessed and draped it over his shoulders.

“Radek, what the hell is he doing here?” Rodney asked with a jerk of his chin in John’s direction. “By now we’re going to have to call in a Doppy to get his memories wiped.”

Radek wrinkled up his nose. “You are gross. You smell of wet lizard and rotting seaweed.”

“Yeah and you smell like a dog, but you don’t hear me complaining,” Rodney said, pulling the cover tighter around him.

“Would anyone care to fill me in?” John hated not knowing what was going on. It was one of his pet peeves.

Rodney looked at Radek curiously. “You know, Elizabeth told me that she didn’t care how I got my info, just as long as I got it.”

Radek crossed his arms and glared. “No. I will not be party to one of your insane ideas. We hide for a reason, and you know I am right.”

“What other choice do I have? I’m getting nowhere with this case.” He crossed his arms, causing the blanket to slip down over his pale shoulders. “I can’t get to the bodies to do my job!”

“If it matters, I vote for information sharing,” John butted in. If the guy said it was his case that could mean he was FBI and this had just gone out of John’s jurisdiction. He highly doubted that though. For one thing, Rodney could have gone through the official channels to get what he needed. For another thing, John didn’t think dissolving into water was something the FBI normally did.

Radek threw up his hands in defeat. “Fine, but I will not take the blame from The Council.” He pointed dangerously at Rodney. “It will be on your head.”

Rodney rolled his eyes, “Yes, doom, gloom, and howl at the moon, whatever.” He suddenly blushed and looked down. “I think I’m going to need some clothes for this.”

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

Meredyth sat on the couch in Radek’s studio apartment that was situated conveniently on top of his shop. He took a sip of the coffee and studied Detective Sheppard over the rim of his mug.

He was really hot for a human. Dark hair, tan, and with those ears, Meredyth could easily mistake him for an elf if he didn’t know better. The hair was a little… out there, but it was more than okay if taken as a whole with the rest of the man.

Meredyth shook himself. There were strict rules for socializing with a human. You weren’t supposed to get attached unless you were one of the unlucky few to have mates among them, and you certainly weren’t even supposed to reveal yourself as a Para-being unless it was necessary to survival. Meredyth thought this was definitely necessary to his survival. Elizabeth and Teyla were going to kill him if he didn’t make any progress soon.

John leaned back on the couch across from him and put his arm over the back, stretching out into a deceptively lazy sprawl. Meredyth knew better. This human was all coiled strength just waiting to pounce.

“So, care to finally tell me who you work for and why they have interest in this case?” The Detective asked, raising one eyebrow to touch the hair hanging down into his face.

Okay, maybe Meredyth was a little envious of the hair. He wished his human form was like a glamor so he could choose how he looked.

Meredyth sighed and placed his coffee down on the table between them. “First, I work for an organization called PIT. Secondly, this is a case that should never have made it across your desk. We screwed up big time on this one, letting it slip through. I’m sure Kavanaugh’s to blame.”

Radek snorted from where he was in his kitchen. Meredyth could swear he heard the Werewolf mumble something like ‘that stupid sneaky Kamaitachi’. Meredyth had to agree. Those weasel creatures had to be watched carefully or you’d get shredded when you least expect it.

“Pit? That’s the worst acronym I’ve ever heard.”

Meredyth secretly agreed, but he hadn’t had anything to say in it. He hadn’t even been hatched yet when it had been formed by The Council. He leaned forward. “Okay, let’s put it this way. All the creatures of myth, every story you’ve ever heard, everything you’ve ever imagined to go bump in the night, they’re all real, and PIT was formed to police them.”

John gave him an incredulous look. “Yeah right and I’m the Tooth Fairy.”

“I happen to know the Tooth Fairy and he’s an ugly idiot, one of which, at least, you certainly aren’t.” Meredyth sighed, realizing this was going to be an uphill battle. “Not only does PIT police these beings, or Para-beings as we call ourselves, but the organization is made up of them.”

“So what are you?” John asked challengingly, “If you’re a part of it, shouldn’t you be a, what did you call it, Para-being?”

Rodney puffed out his chest, preening. “I’m a Water Dragon.”

“I’ve seen pictures of dragons, you my friend, look nothing like one.”

“I’m in my human guise right now,” he said defensively, “I’d change and prove it to you, but this room’s kind of small. You’ve already seen me turn into water, what else do you want?”

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

John couldn’t believe he was sitting here listening to this, but then again he’d already seen how bad of a liar this guy was, and something was screaming inside John that told him he could trust Rodney.

He glanced over his shoulder. “And Radek? What’s he?”

“A Werewolf,” Rodney said without a beat.

John turned fully around to stare at Radek. He was leaning against the counter stirring his coffee and trying to not look interested as he obviously was. “Please tell me that wasn’t your hair in that jar downstairs.”

Radek blinked. “It was a cousin’s. He needed haircut.”

John shook his head; of course the guy needed a haircut. He was apparently _covered_ in hair some of the time.

John turned back around. “Okay, say I believe you, which I don’t completely, what do need with the bodies?”

“I need to a tracking spell on them. If I do it right, which it’s me, so I will, I’ll be able to see where they’d been on this plane before they died. It might help us find the killers portal nexus.”

Great, now there was magic. “And the killers are…?”

“It’s called a Wraith.” Rodney grabbed his cup off the coffee table and leaned back. John had trouble picturing him as a giant scaly beast. He just looked so… harmless, cute even with is big blue eyes and long lashes.

“If we’re going to be working together, I’m going to need some more information,” John prodded. And when did he decide to believe this craziness?

Vacation. He definitely needed a vacation.

“It’s species that feeds off of life force. There are ways for them to feed without killing, but some get off on the feeling, so this is either one that gets a thrill from killing their victims or there’s a purpose to it. What? I don’t know yet, but I intend to find out.”

John nodded slowly, thinking. “I can get us into the city morgue. I know the medical examiner, and she owes me a favor.”

John hadd helped her after she came to town running from what he’d assumed was a very bad break up. Her background hadn’t shown a criminal record, only a PHD in medical sciences, so he’d gladly helped, setting her up with a job and a new name. He was a sucker for someone in distress.

Rodney clapped his hands together and jumped to his feet, “Great, what are we waiting for? Let’s get going.”

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

John led Rodney down the corridor to the morgue, knowing Jenifer would be there. She was a dedicated medical examiner and would stay there trying to find every detail she could, long after everyone else had left. It was late and the halls had an eerie cast to them, all but the lights at the ends of the corridors turned off for the evening.

The closer they got to the morgue, the louder it became. Jenifer must have been listening to music. Huh, he’d never guess she’d be one to listen to death metal.

Rodney stuck a finger in his ear and wiggled it. “I don’t understand why you people listen to this stuff. What’s the point?”

John opened his mouth to say he listened to country rock but shushed him instead, listening more carefully. Under the hard instrumentals and harsh vocals he could hear a scream that he was sure wasn’t coming from the music.

“I think she’s in trouble.” John said, rushing forward. He ripped open the door to find Jenifer leaning over one of her latest corpse, and going about her business as if she wasn’t crying out, screaming an otherworldly wail.

Rodney pushed past him and went over to the music player, turning it off. Jenifer snapped her mouth shut and whirled around, her eyes big and surprised.

Rodney folded his arms over his chest and glared at her. “You know my case could have been a lot easier if I’d known this.”

“What the hell was that?” John asked her, but Rodney answered.

“If I’d known your Medical Examiner was a Banshee, I could have gone straight to her and forgone all this trouble.” He narrowed his eyes. “You’re not registered with The Council. I’m going to have to report you.”

“A banshee?” John asked faintly. What was next? His mailman was a Griffin? The barber a leprechaun? This was getting to be just a bit too much. He was sure he’d had a nervous breakdown and he was now a drooling catatonic in the county mental hospital.

They ignored his frantic breathing.

Jenifer put down her scalpel, begging, “Oh gods, please don’t turn me in. I’m the next in line to be the Aeval. I never wanted that responsibility. I just want to live my life. Please don’t.” She was in tears by the end and she buried her head in her hands.

Rodney looked uncomfortable with the waterworks. He walked over to her and awkwardly patted her shoulder. “Um, please stop. It’s not my fault that you were born to royalty,” he added defensively. She only cried harder, sobbing into her hands. Rodney looked at him pleadingly.

John mentally slapped himself out of his stupor. So what if he was crazy? At least it was an interesting delusion. “I’m sure he’s not going to turn you in, Orla,” he told her gently, using her real name. John glared at Rodney pointedly.

He frowned at John, but realization soon crossed his face. “Oh, yes. Of course. No arrests here. I don’t even work in the registration department anyway.”

She peeked up, her eyes red and swollen. “Really?”

John nodded. “Yeah sure.”

She looked at him and blinked as if just noticing him for the first time. “What are you doing here, John?” She glanced to Rodney and back. “Should you be hearing this?” She asked nervously.

“I made an emergency decision to read him in on us. I’m trying to stop a killer and I was getting nowhere.”

She wiped her eyes, ridding her face of the last few tears. “The Wraith kills?”

“No, the killer party clowns,” he said dryly.

John shivered. “Don’t even joke about that.” He hated clowns.

Rodney rolled his eyes and sighed. “Yes, the Wraith. What do you know so far?”

She squared her shoulders and put her professional mask back on. “Not much. At least not that I could tell the humans.” She went to her desk in the corner and grabbed her notebook. Flipping through the pages she said, “They appear to be fed on by at least two different Wraith. The claw marks on the bodies vary slightly in size from one to the next, alternating. Both are consistent with the size of an adult male.” She glanced up. “At least you’re not dealing with a Queen.”

“Small mercy.” Rodney sighed. “I was afraid of this. Elizabeth isn’t going to like it. What about the last one? Can you tell me why they grabbed another one so soon?”

She shook her head. “I’d be only guessing.” She brightened, offering a smile. “But I was able to find two things in common with all the vics.”

“Tell me.” Rodney waved his hand in an out-with-it gesture.

“I tested their tissues and found a weird anomaly in their cells, I haven’t been able to figure out what it is yet, but I’m hopeful. The other thing I saw was that they’re all descendants of the Ancients.”

“All of them?”

“Who are the Ancients?” John butted in.

“They’re the first race. Every living sentient species was created by them.” Rodney explained, hands flying as he spoke. It was kind of mesmerizing. “All Para-beings have the ability to use magic in one form or another, usually by channeling it through artifacts that the Ancients left behind, but humans can’t.” He held up his finger. “Unless they’re direct descendants. Those that actually had an Ancient in their family tree.” Rodney dropped his hand and shrugged. “We don’t know why. All we do know is that humans were the last species they created before they vanished. Some think they were trying to design the best warriors for some big war they had going.” He smirked. “Personally I think they would have stopped with Dragons if that was the case, but that’s just my opinion.”

It was a little disconcerting to find out that every organized religion was _wrong._ It was also a little weird to find out creationism was in some way _right._ John had never been a religious man, but he prayed to someone that he’d have the will to get through this.

“I have one question. Why don’t humans know about all of this crap?”

Rodney raised his eyebrow. “With the human’s tendency to destroy or at least openly hate anything different, do you really think it would be a good idea? Not that Para-beings are much better; we’ve had our own wars, but the last one was millennia ago.”

John had to concede to his point. Humans weren’t the most understanding bunch. “Yeah, okay.”

Rodney clapped his hands together. “Right, so let’s get this show on the road.” He turned to Jennifer and pointed to her corpse. “Is this the last one to come in?”

She nodded. “Yep. Is this going to take long? I really need to finish my keening.”

John had no clue what that meant, but he wasn’t going to ask. He was a little afraid of what the answer might be.

“Shouldn’t take more than a few seconds.” Rodney stepped up to the autopsy table and rubbed his hands together. “Okay, everybody stand back.” He closed his eyes and placed his hands out, hovering above the body.

He inhaled deeply and began to mumble in a language that John had never heard before. It was a little bit like Latin, but subtly different, and it flowed over his tongue in a way that had John shivering. He could feel a buzz in the air like right before a storm.

Rodney’s hands started to glow. “Shit,” John said.

Jennifer shushed him, sending a glare his way. Spells and magic was just one more thing that he had to deal with now.

The glow of Rodney’s hands faded and he opened his eyes. “I know where to go now.” He strode out of the room without another word, looking determined. It was kind of hot.

John ran after Rodney’s heart-shaped ass, tossing a thank you to Jennifer over his shoulder, and he stared at it the whole way to the car.

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

“What are you doing?” John asked. He stood at the end of the alley near the park where the body had been found, leaning against the wall, is face in shadow from the light cast by the street lamp. Meredyth glanced at him from the corner of his eye, taking in the sight of his lean form. John’s jacket was taught over his crossed arms and his jeans hung low on his hips, revealing a thin strip of flesh just above his waistband. Meredyth wanted to lick it, taste the exposed skin and trace the edge with his tongue. He didn’t know if he liked how much the man affected him.

He shook his head. He had to get focused, there was work to do.

“I’m scanning for any magic that may have been cast recently,” he said as he felt the walls for disturbances in the flow of magic. His species excelled in magic, even more than other Para-beings, and he’d learned all he could about it from soon as he hatched.

Wait, there! The wall seemed to ripple beneath his fingers as he probed it with his powers. “Ah ha, got you. A portal was opened here not too long ago. This is the clue I’ve been looking for.”

“Great. Now there’s a portal. Can you tell where this ‘portal’ went to?”

“Unfortunately no,” He told him. Portal magic was one of the few magics he found tricky. It was a little shaming, but what was one thing when he could do everything else? “I do know who can though.” Rodney checked his borrowed watch. It was late but, “If we hurry, she should have enough time to do her thing.”

John straightened from his slouch. “Who?”

“One of my teammates. We can’t use this nexus point. I don’t want to contaminate it.” The first thing he was going to do once he was back on Atlantis was to grab some of his own clothes from his quarters. Radek’s were starting to chafe. “Come on,” he said, leading the way to John’s car, “you’re about to go somewhere where no human has ever been.”

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

John stood next to Rodney staring at the brick all he’d seen Rodney disappear into that morning. “Okay, so what now?”

Rodney hefted the small pouch that John had found earlier, “I take handful of this say a few words, and then toss it at the wall. Presto, instant portal.”

John nodded. “Awesome. Where’re we going again?”

Rodney glared. “For the tenth time, we’re going to Atlantis.”

John had the feeling that none of this was really seeping into his mind. He felt numb, like he’d had a big dose of Novocain, and now he was floating along without a care in the world.

He didn’t think he could get through this any other way.

Rodney reached into his bag and pulled out his hand clutching the powder tight. He closed his eyes, muttered a few words, the same buzz settling in John’s bones, and threw it at the wall.

John could swear he felt the air ripple around them, but the wall still looked the same. “You sure it worked?”

“Of course I’m sure. I do this a lot.” Rodney stepped forward.

John reached out to hold him back, not wanting to go last. Not wanting to go at all. It felt like something was calling to him. “Does it hurt?”

Rodney gave him a look. “Do you trust me?”

John studied his face, seeing only confidence. He looked into Rodney’s eyes, the deep ocean blue, threatening to drown him in their pools. John didn’t know why, but he did. He hadn’t even known this guy for a day and he felt like he could follow him anywhere.

John nodded slowly. “Yeah, I do.”

Rodney looked surprised, but pleased. “Oh. Good. Well, let’s go then.”

Rodney grabbed John’s wrist and dragged him forward. John’s last thought before he stepped though was that he felt like Alice going down the rabbit hole.

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

Meredyth stepped out of the portal and onto Atlantis, dragging John along. He peeked back to see how the man was doing. Wow, if John’s eyes got any bigger they’d fall out of his skull. Meredyth was pretty sure that wasn’t a good thing for a human’s eyes to do.

“You doing okay there?” Meredyth was honestly surprised at how well John had been taking this so far.

John blinked. “I’ll get back to you on that.”

“Fair enough.” Rodney looked around and spotted Elizabeth standing at the base of the stairs. He winced; she did not look happy.

“Meredyth, my office now.” She glanced at John. “You too.”

“She has wings,” John said, wide eyed as he stared at her retreating form.

Rodney slapped John on the back causing him to stumble. “Yeah, and a temper too. That’s my boss, Elizabeth.”

They followed her up to her office and sat in the chairs she had for visitors. John kept straining his neck to look out the glass incased office, trying to get a peek at those going about their business.

“Don’t hurt yourself,” Meredyth told him dryly.

John tilted his head to the side, “Does that guy have horns?”

“You seem to be stuck in this loop where you’re stating the obvious.” Meredyth chuckled at his own joke.

John turned back around. “Are you really a Dragon?”

“Gentlemen, could we get back to the matter at hand?” Elizabeth asked. She had her I’m-very-disappointed-in-you face. Meredyth hated that face; it made him feel like a hatchling again.

“You have wings,” John said stupidly. Meredyth was starting to worry that the portal trip had broken him. Could portals do that to humans? He didn’t think so.

She raised her eyebrow. “Yes, I do. I’m a Fairy.”

“Aren’t you a little big to be a Fairy?”

Meredyth put his head in his hands in despair. Thank god Elizabeth decided to ignore John.

“Radek has told the Council what you’ve done, Meredyth. What were you thinking bringing this human into the Other Planes, telling him about the Para-beings?”

He fidgeted in his seat, ignoring John’s muttered ‘Meredyth?’ That stupid sneaky Czech son of a bitch was going to get drown next time they crossed paths.

Meredyth huffed. “I was just doing what you told me to do. I got a lead and we need Teyla to do a portal tracking.”

“Be that as it may, Meredyth, this has put me in a tight spot.” She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “The only way this is going to work is if Detective Sheppard becomes an agent at PIT. The council wants to keep a close eye on him and has passed that duty to me.” She glanced between them. “I’ve decided to place you on Meredyth’s team.”

John sat up straight with a hard glint in his eyes, his earlier stupor seeming to vanish. “I’ve already got a job. What if I don’t want to mess up my life just so you guys can keep an eye on me?”

Not good, not good, Meredyth thought. He didn’t want John to leave not even knowing his own name, not knowing _him_.

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. “I’d have to call Chuck in to clean your mind.”

“What do you mean by ‘clean’?” John asked. Meredyth shivered at the tone. Gods, it was sexy hearing that no nonsense quality to John’s voice.

“Exactly what it sounds like, Detective.” Her face softened with sympathy. “For all it’s worth, I’m sorry, but you have to understand that this is for the protection of billions of our people.”

“I’d never do anything to cause your people harm.” John looked offended at the mere mention of it.

Elizabeth stared into John’s eyes and nodded slowly. “I know you’re telling the truth, but it’s not up to me. It’s the council’s decision and they’ve already placed their verdict.”

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

John thought for a moment trying to focus through the buzz in his mind. It was a little distracting, like a bug flying in his ear, but he pushed past it to think about the offer on the table. He really didn’t have much of a choice here but, “If I do this, start working for you, I can’t just up and vanish from my old job. That will put up some unpleasant red flags.”

She smiled as if it was a done deal. “We’ve got some Para-beings in high places. We can put in a transfer for you to go to our red herring agency in The Other Side and falsify the papers needed.”

John nodded his head. It wasn’t like he really had anything to hold on to in his old life, just a decaying poster and his rusted car. “Okay, I’ll do it.” The buzzing was starting to get to him and he couldn’t deal with it anymore. “What is that?”

Elizabeth and Rodney frowned at his apparent non sequitur.

“That noise. Well, it’s more of a feeling, like a hum.” John tried to explain.

Rodney’s (Meredyth’s?) eyes widened. “I think he’s feeling Atlantis’s magic.”

Elizabeth opened a drawer in her desk and pulled out something small and square. It reminded John of a tablet computer. She reached over her desk to hand it to him and he grabbed it from her without even thinking about it. They both gasped as it lit up in his hands, blinking up at him.

“What-?”

“This’ll make it easier for you to work here at least.” Rodney mumbled, staring at him wide eyed.

“What’ll make it easier?” He was starting to get a little worried. The tablet felt like it was tingling and the feeling was starting to creep up his arm.

“It looks you’re a descendant of the Ancient race.” Elizabeth told him.

“Like our murder vics?”

“The Wraith kills where descendants?”

Rodney snapped his mouth shut and shook his head. “Yeah, I finally got to see one of the bodies and the medical examiner--“

John cleared his throat, cutting him off before he could say anything to endanger Jenifer. He set the tablet on the desk and shook his hand out. “We found out that all the kids were these descendants of theirs.”

Rodney glared at him but continued, “We were able to trace the location they were snatched from, and found a recently opened portal, which is why we’re here.” He looked at his watch. “I need to take Teyla to The Other Side to see if she can figure out where it goes. I’ve wasted too much time now to have her go now. We’ll have to wait until the sun sets again.”

“Why do we have to wait? Another kid might be killed by then,” John said, letting his anger and frustration with the situation show through. They didn’t have time to sit on their hands and do nothing. He didn’t like doing nothing.

“Teyla’s a Vampire. She can’t survive in most planes’ sunlight. The human world is one of the worst,” Rodney said, as if it was an everyday occurrence to talk about these things.

With a start, John realized that it _was_ normal for the man. “When you said every creature of myth, you really meant it didn’t you?”

“Meredyth, why don’t you introduce him to his new teammates.” Elizabeth told them. “I believe they’re in the training rooms. I’m sure they’ll be… pleased to meet him.” John didn’t like the way she paused.

Rodney started to stand but stopped halfway up. “Um, where’s John going to stay?”

Elizabeth smirked “Since this is your mess, he can bunk with you until we find him some quarters.”

“But I only have one bed!” Rodney screamed in outrage. John had the urge to see if his pits smelled, the way Rodney was so opposed to sharing his space.

“In which he can sleep in. I know you don’t use it. Now go, I need to go get some sleep of my own; I had to stay up all night to fix the upset your stunt caused.”

Rodney got up, grumbling unhappily, and John followed for a lack of anything else to do.

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

They stopped before the door to one of the training rooms. It was the one his team had claimed as their own, seeing as it had a large pool as well as a space for Ronon and Teyla’s sparring. Meredyth was still surprised at how quick and graceful Ronon was, seeing he was made out of stone. At least this Golem wasn’t from a tribe made out of sand. That would have made it difficult for Meredyth to work with the man. Sand got washed away too easily and he didn’t want to worry about having to go searching for every single grain just to put the Golem back together.

“Just to prepare you, I think you should know a little more about them before you meet them. So you don’t, you know, get fixated like you did the wing thing.”

John made a vague ‘hmm’ sound and gestured for him to continue.

“So Teyla as I’ve said is a Vampire. She looks like a normal human except for her teeth and eyes. The teeth are self-explanatory, but just a warning, her eyes are black. Completely black, irises and all.”

John nodded, “Gotcha.”

“Ronon’s a Golem. It’s a race that’s created out of the earth. His tribe is made of rocks. He’s like,” Meredyth thought for a moment, trying to find the words to describe Ronon in a way that John could grasp. He snapped his fingers. “The Thing from the fantastic four, only a lot less clumsy.”

“Awesome, can I be Mr. Fantastic?”

“No you can’t… oh, I get it. That was a joke. Ha ha. So funny.”

John smirked and Meredyth rolled his eyes. As much as he liked the man, his sense of humor left much to be desired.

Meredyth triggered the door and they stepped over the threshold.

“Meredyth, heads up.”

He instinctually called upon the water in the pool to their left and formed it into a shield protecting John and him, compressing its molecules into a solid transparent wall. Not a second later a large rock smashed into the barrier, crumbling to dust on impact.

“Holy crap!” John yelled having tried to push Meredyth behind him. Meredyth was a little peeved that John didn’t think he could protect himself, but also secretly flattered that John thought he was someone that deserved protecting.

He chose not to examine the tight feeling that it caused in his chest.

Ronon chuckled in his gravelly voice. “Nice move, Mer.”

John reached out the hesitantly touch the wall, but Meredyth let it dissolve and flow back to the pool before he could. John snatched his hand back and blinked stupidly the retreating puddle.

John seemed to snap out of it with a shake of his head and turned to him. “Why does everyone keep calling you Meredyth?”

Meredyth crossed his arm defensively, “It’s my name.” He grumbled. “Rodney is the name I use to fit in on The Other Side. You can call me Mer if you like.”

John tightened his lips like he was holding back a laugh. “Okay.”

“We are pleased to meet you, John. Elizabeth has informed us that you will be the fourth on our team from now on.”

John focused on Teyla as she approached and put his hand out in greeting, a slow blink the only indication that he noticed anything unusual about her. “It’d be more pleasant under different circumstances.”

She gazed down at his hand perplexedly but reached out to grasp it all the same, realization flooding her face. “Ah, this is the greeting of your people, is it not?”

John smiled. “Yep.”

“So this is the new guy? He looks like I could break him.” Ronon grumbled.

John looked up… and up a little more, straining his neck. “Buddy, I’m pretty sure you could break anyone.”

Ronon slapped John on the back, ignoring John’s ‘ow’, “I like him.”

Meredyth’s stomach grumbled. When was the last time he ate? He was surprised to find that he couldn’t remember. “Now that we’ve made our introductions, can I please go get something to eat? I’m starving.”

Teyla smiled, her teeth on display, “We would not want that. A hungry Dragon is a frightening thing.” Meredyth couldn’t figure out if she was mocking him or not. Teyla glanced to Ronon and back. “We will join you. I have not yet eaten as well.”

Meredyth bounced on his heels. He could wait to see what the mess hall had for him today.

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

John sat poking idly at his food, wondering what it was. The Cyclops at the serving line had said it was beef stew but John had his doubts. The gelatinous mess couldn’t possibly be beef.

He glanced around the small table where his new team sat. Rod- _Meredyth_ was shoveling in his fish like it was the last he’d ever get, Ronon was not even bothering with utensils as he grabbed big handfuls of sand and shoved it in his mouth, Teyla sat delicately taking small sips from her thermos. John really didn’t have to guess what was inside it.

He was starting to let it all seep in. This would be his life from now on, living in a strange and wondrous place with even stranger people, and he couldn’t find it in himself to mind. So what if he had the hots for a Dragon? So what if whole perception of life had been turned upside down? He felt like he fit in more here than he ever had on Earth. He may stick out like a sore thumb for now, and from the curious looks he was getting from the other beings around the open hall, he did, but it didn’t seem to diminish the feeling like that this was home now.

Now that he knew what it was, he could feel the… magic, he guessed, flowing through the walls of Atlantis like a current of electricity, coursing around and through him. It was calling out to him and he wanted to learn all he could about it and his new life.

Teyla set her mug down and he could tell that her eyes had focused on him even without any discernable pupils. “I am curious, what is it like growing up on The Other Side?”

He thought about it, wondering what she was looking for. “I guess it’s like growing up anywhere else. I don’t know any different.”

She nodded, “The plane I grew up in was beautiful. The trees were red as blood, the sky a deep orange. I used to play in the fields of flowers next to my village as I waited for my brethren to return from the hunt. It was a peaceful place that I miss dearly. I wish to return for a visit soon; it has been decades since I was there last.”

“I used to go climbing in the mountains when I was first formed. We had some big mountains.” Ronon chimed in. “Used to play rock tag with some of the other gravelings.”

“My plane is one big ocean, no land in sight. The Water Dragons are devoted to knowledge and I was taught anything and everything from as soon as I was hatched. I didn’t have much time for recreational activities, but I do remember that every once and a while me and one of my hatchmates, Jeanieve, would sneak off and play in the kelp forests.” Mer sighed and got a far off look on his face, smiling faintly. “I wouldn’t mind seeing her again. It’s been a long time since I last talked to her. I think she lives in Canada now.”

Wow, these places sounded amazing and he wouldn’t mind visiting himself. Well maybe not Mer’s because John needed to _breath_.

John studied Meredyth’s face; he liked the way his face looked with that small secretive smile and he wanted to share something of himself too. “I grew up in a big house. We had horses, maids, and butlers. It’s not the most _typical_ of upbringings on Earth, but it was all I knew. I loved to go riding, loved feeling the wind in my hair as we galloped around the yard. I left because me and my father could never see eye to eye.”

“Do you not miss it?” Teyla asked, her black eyes seeming to bore into his soul.

He almost answered with his typical flippant ‘nope’, but he decided on the truth. This was basically a fresh start he was given, so why not? “I miss my brother. We used to be close until he started trying to be our father’s perfect son. Nothing we did was ever good enough for him, so I don’t know why he bothered.”

“It is a common thing across many cultures to seek the approval of those who gave us life,” she said, “I do not deny that sometimes it is futile, but it is almost always desired. My father was the leader of our village and he was very angry when I decided that it was not the life for me. I still regret the way we parted. Maybe I will rectify that when I visit.”

“My builder was a soldier for our people. He was happy when I chose to join PIT.” Ronon mumbled around a full mouth, sand puffing out as he spoke. He really did look like the Thing, but less orange and more brown. He also had series of rocks trailing out of his head that reminded John of dreadlocks. It was cool.

“The Water Dragons aren’t a very paternal species. They’re one of the Para-beings that mate for life, but pairs only lay eggs at the turn of every century and we hatch all the resulting eggs in a large group. We’re raised by our teachers,” Meredyth said as if it was normal to never know who your parents were, but apparently it was for him, so John didn’t judge.

Meredyth stuffed the last of his fish in his mouth. “As titillating as this conversation is I’d really like to get some sleep.” He yawned to make his point.

John couldn’t hold back his own yawn. “Yeah, I could use some rest myself,” he said, grabbing his bowl and getting up.

“Good dreams to you.” Teyla called as they made their way to the bussing station and out the door.

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

Meredyth breathed a weary sigh as he opened the door to his quarters. He waved John in and as soon as the door closed, and made his way over to the large tank that took up most of the room, bypassing the bed in favor of his usual sleeping spot. He stripped off his shirt and reached down to unbutton his pants when he paused, hearing a strangled sound coming from behind him. He turned around to find John biting his lower lip and clenching his fists, staring at Meredyth’s chest with rapt attention.

“What?”

John opened and closed his mouth a few times, his bottom lip looking red and swollen from where he was biting it. “You’re getting naked,” he finally managed to squeak out.

“Yeah, it’s generally what I do when I’m in my room.”

“But… naked.”

Meredyth smiled slowly, getting it. “Do you like what you see?” He said, mirroring John’s words from earlier.

John nodded silently, still staring.

Meredyth slowly reached down and ran his hands along his stomach, down to the button on his pants, his cock taking a definite liking to the way John was looking at him. He flicked the button open and slowly brought the zipper down, hissing as the cold air of the room touched the sensitive skin of his groin.

“Jesus,” John breathed, taking an involuntary step closer. He stopped and shook his head. “This is crazy. We’ve only known each other for a day.”

“So? You don’t see me complaining.” Meredyth took the last step needed to have them touch. He ran his hand into John’s hair, breathing against his mouth. “Are you?”

“God no.” John swooped in for a kiss that stole the breath from Meredyth’s lungs, tingles running over his lips.

John’s hands strayed to his hips and held him fast, never breaking their kiss. Meredyth reached up to wrap his arms around John’s neck and reveled in the feeling of his bare chest rubbing against John’s clothed one.

Meredyth opened his mouth and traced his tongue across the seam of John’s soft lips, getting a gasp in response. He darted his tongue in to explore, tasting the stew he’d eaten and something sweet underneath, something Meredyth thought was uniquely John. He moaned as the flavor burst across his tongue.

Pulling back, and ignoring John’s sound of protest, he gripped the bottom hem of John’s shirt and yanked it over the other man’s head. He reached down to pop the button on John’s fly and stepped back.

He shimmied out of his own pants and looked up to see John’s gaze fixed on Meredyth’s cock. John was breathing heavily already, his chest heaving with every breath.

Meredyth licked his lips. “Now you.”

John snapped out of his fugue and quickly shucked his pants. Now it was Meredyth’s turn to stare. John was all corded muscle, not an ounce of fat on him and Meredyth wanted to feel all that lean muscle pinning him to the mattress, his dick already hard and standing at attention with need.

Meredyth scrambled onto the bed and laid down on his back, spreading his legs in invitation. When John just stood there he said, “Well, what are you waiting for?”

John made his way over, looking like he was stalking prey, and climbed up, settling between Meredyth’s legs. John placed his hands on either side of Meredyth’s shoulders and leaned down for another kiss, taking Meredyth’s mouth like he owned it.

Meredyth moaned, pressing up into the warmth and fiction John offered. He trailed his hands down John’s back, feeling the flesh move over John’s muscles. It felt like sparks were pricking at fingers.

John pulled back. “Feels so good.”

“Yeah. It might feel better if you, you know, moved.”

John chuckled and started rocking them together. They soon found a rhythm that worked, cocks aligned just right. Meredyth didn’t think he could last much longer. It had been too long since he last had sex and if he was honest, this was so far the best he’d ever had. He wanted to see John come before he did though so he reached down between them and took both of their cocks in his hand. 

John’s movements stuttered and he growled deep in his throat. 

“Fuck,” he grated out between clenched teeth.

“Maybe… maybe next time.” Meredyth panted.

Meredyth sped his movements and soon John groaned, throwing his head back as he came, warm wetness spurting over Meredyth’s hand and stomach. The sight alone would have been enough to send him over the edge, but it also felt like fireworks of pleasure were exploding inside him and he had no choice but to come.

They lay like that, John’s breath ghosting over Meredyth’s neck, John’s weight pushing him down, until it started to become uncomfortable and hard to breath.

He nudged John in his side. “Need air.”

John’s head snapped up and he blinked sleepily down at him. Meredyth couldn’t help but think it cute. “Oh, sorry.” John shifted so his head rested on Meredyth’s shoulder. ”Wow, that was…”

“Yeah.”

John hummed. “Don’t want to move, but we need to clean up.”

Meredyth chuckled, “I can fix that.” He called some of the water from his tank to slide over them, taking care of the mess and sending it to the drain he had installed in the middle of his floor.

John felt the bed, seeing it was dry. “That’s weird.”

“Not too weird?” Meredyth asked self-consciously. He didn’t want to scare John off. Meredyth had to remember that this was all still new to the man. He liked John and was looking forward to possibly doing this again. There was that fucking John had mentioned too.

John smiled and put his head back down. “No, it’s cool.”

“Good.” Meredyth said. He closed his eyes and fell asleep to the sound of John’s breathing.

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

John was expecting it to be a little awkward when they woke up, but was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be kind of… domestic. They shared a shower, with Mer reminding him that they didn’t have time to fool around every time John got a little to handsy, but he couldn’t help himself. Meredyth’s ass just begged to be fondled. He couldn’t wait until they had the time and energy to explore each other a little more thoroughly.

Afterwards Mer dried them instantly by willing the water away, which was cool, no more need for towels or a blow-dryer. Mer gave him a spare toothbrush and they got dressed, John borrowing some of his clothes. The pants hung a bit too low and the shirt was baggy, but they covered him and he was grateful. He didn’t like the idea of putting on his dirty clothes from the day before. He’d have to get some of his things from his apartment soon though. He grabbed his wallet and phone just before they left, sticking them in his pockets. They stopped by the mess hall and grabbed a bite to eat.

They made their way to what Mer called the Portal Room. He said it was the only ‘portal nexus’ on the ‘Lantean Plane’, whatever those were. John figured he’d find out soon enough.

John spotted Teyla as they entered the cavernous room but he didn’t recognize the tall man dressed in leather standing next to her until he took a closer look. The height and width seemed a little smaller, but it was the dreads that finally clued him in.

“Ronon?”

Ronon grunted and gestured to a small tattoo on his neck. “Glamor. It doesn’t last long. A few hours at most.”

“Awesome.” These guys could do anything it seemed.

Mer bounced on his heels, looking pleased. “It’s one of my inventions. I’m working on an upgraded model that will last days.” He frowned. “I’m having a bit of trouble with it though. I think I’m going to have to attach it to a magically infused crystal that can be worn as a pendant. The only problem with that is it can be lost or stolen, exposing the wearer.”

“How do _you_ look human?” John asked, just realizing he hadn’t seen Mer ever looking at all like a Dragon.

Mer shrugged, “It’s instinctual for my species to be able to go from one form to another. I feel more comfortable in my ‘true form’, as we call it, but I don’t _have_ to be one or the other.”

“Then how do you know that the other one is your ‘true form’?”

“We’re hatched to that form and for the first century of our lives we don’t know anything different. It’s then that we’re taught how to shift and once that’s mastered, we’re encouraged to leave our plane and travel, acquiring knowledge as we go.”

“How old are you guys?” John had caught them talking about their life in terms of centuries, not decades, and it was starting to make him feel young. He hadn’t felt like that in years.

“I’m 282.” Ronon said, frowning down at him.

“I am still young for one of my kind,” Teyla offered, “I celebrated my 400th year recently.”

Mer shifted from one foot to another. “Gods, they make me feel old. I don’t even remember anymore. I stopped counting when I reached 900 and that was a while ago.”

“You’re pretty spry for an old fogy.” John chimed in.

“Hey!” Mer crossed his arms and glared, a smile twitching at his mouth like he couldn’t hold it back. “How about later I show you how spry I can be?”

John glanced at Ronon and Teyla to gauge their reactions to that, but Ronon just rolled his eyes and Teyla had a devilish smirk on her face.

John smiled. “I think I’ll take you up on that offer.” He didn’t know what he felt the night before when they had been having sex, all those sparks and snaps, but he wanted to feel them again.

John caught sight of Elizabeth making her way over to them and quickly tried to wipe the smirk from his face.

“Gentleman, Teyla.” She nodded, standing straight with her hands clasped behind her. “Please figure out who’s behind this. No one was taken today but it’s only a matter of time before they strike again. We can’t have these murders get any more prevalent in the media. It’s starting to raise some uncomfortable questions that we can’t afford.”

“Yes ma’am,” He said, the others agreeing too.

“Good, be careful out there,” She said and turned to go back up to her office.

Mer clapped his hands drawing their attention. “Let’s do this.” He walked over to the stone archway that was the focal point of the room. John hadn’t had a chance to study it earlier, but now that he looked he could see runes tracing the outer edge of the arch. Mer grabbed a handful of the dust from a bowl sitting on a pedestal next to it and went through the motions to open the portal, the buzz from Atlantis intensifying for a second. It didn’t bother John as much this time and he wondered if that was because he expected it or if Atlantis was getting him used to it.

Mer stepped back and waved out his hand. “After you.” He told Teyla.

She reached into the satchel hanging from her shoulder and pulled out a pair of dark sunglasses. Placing them on her nose she said, “Thank you, Mer,” and stepped through.

Ronon followed and John hesitated only a moment before he crossed over into the alley in the dark of the night. Or at least as dark as an alley in a big city could be.

The waited until Mer joined them and silently made their way to John’s car after they piled in, john hit the gas.

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

“Hmm,” Teyla hummed as she ran her hands over the brick. “The magic is faded, but I believe it leads to Hoff.” She stepped back and turned around to look at the others, “I do not know much of that Plane, but I believe it and its people were destroyed in the last Great War.”

John straightened from where he’d leaned against the wall as soon as they’d arrived. Meredyth thought the man was trying his resolve. He just looked entirely too sexy when he slouched, jutting his hips out in invitation. Meredyth wanted to drop to his knees and suck him.

“What’s the Great war?” John asked.

“Like I said before, our history is just as bloody as humans.” He said, “The Great Wars were kind of like your World Wars only bigger. They encompassed many of The Other Planes. The last one took place ten thousand years ago between the Wraith and… pretty much everyone else. They believed they were the superior race and everyone else was just food.”

“I’m no one’s food,” Ronon grumbled.

“No, but that didn’t stop them from nearly wiping out the Golems anyway.”

Ronon growled and Meredyth winced. “Sorry.” He sometimes didn’t think before he talked. it was one of his more troubling character flaws.

Ronon stared. “It’s true,” he said grudgingly. Meredyth figures that was as much of an ‘apology accepted’ as he was going to get.

“Anyway, we eventually came to a truce and now we work together, sort of like the US and Germany. That’s when The Council was formed.”

“I would like to talk to Todd about what he remembers of Hoff and if he has an idea as to who might want to go such a dead world,” Teyla said as she unconsciously fiddled with her glasses. Meredyth knew she hated those things. Why she didn’t just use one of his glamors to hide her eyes, he didn’t know.

John blinked. “Todd? What kind of name is that?”

“He’s a Wraith that works at PIT. Only the Wraith can pronounce their own names so they usually go by something silly like Mark or Steve to everyone else.”

“Huh.”

Ronon crossed his arms. “Why can’t we just go?”

“Ronon, I am ashamed of you,” Teyla scalded, “Would you go into battle without knowing your enemy?”

Ronon actually looked sheepish. Meredyth didn’t think the man had that expression, or it could just be the fact that his normal stone face didn’t have that kind of range of motion.

“No. Rule one of the Golems, know your enemies weakness.”

“Exactly.” Meredyth shivered. “I guess it’s time to see Todd.”

Gods, that guy was creepy.

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

Was that a weasel? John was getting used to the Para-beings one step at a time, but a weasel? It was a giant weasel with long razor sharp claws. A _weasel_.

Mer sneered down at the weasel… thing. “Kavanaugh, where’s Todd?”

“Why are you asking?” The things whiney sounding voice was a little grating on John’s ears.

“If it’s any concern to you _Assistant_ Kavanaugh, we need his help with a case.”

“You don’t intimidate me, _Meredyth_ ,” Kavanaugh sneered, his whiskers twitching in agitation. John bristled at the threatening tone. He had the sudden urge to slam this Kavanaugh thing’s head into his desk.

“Maybe not, but I do.” Ronon stepped forward, his huge rocky visage back in place since they’d arrived back on Atlantis.

Kavanaugh squeaked, eyes widening in fear. “He’s in his office going through the reports of unrest with the Asurans.”

“Was that so difficult?” Teyla smirked. They didn’t wait for a response before they were making their way down the hall.

“Who, or should I say _what_ was that?” John asked, following their lead and frowning back at Kavanaugh.

“That little weasel is the bane of my existence,” Mer grumbled, stomping down the corridor.

“He is a Kamaitachi,” Teyla explained patiently, “It is a Para-being from a Plane ravaged by tornados. They travel by riding the winds and their claws are deadly but cause no pain. They sneak up on their enemies and slice open their backs so that they bleed out before they ever know they are wounded.”

“No honor in that,” Ronon grunted.

“He’s an underhanded backstabber,” Mer told him, “I used to run the R&D department before I became an agent and he was pissed when I promoted Miko to take my place instead of him. He thought he disserved the position and that I was playing favorites because she’s a Fire Dragon.” He made a disgusted noise. “I was playing favorites, but only because she’s just smarter than him. He decided to go behind my back to Elizabeth and complain.” He smirked. “It backfired on him though. Elizabeth wasn’t a big fan of him either and demoted him for harassment when Miko broke out in tears.

“Honestly, I think she got her own revenge, because the next day he showed up to work bald, but we could never prove it was her.” Mer giggled. John liked the sound of it.

John smiled. “She sounds like someone I’d like to meet.”

“Yeah, she’s cool. Tougher than she looks,” Ronon said as they stopped at one of the many doors.

Teyla knocked and a deep voice called out, “Enter.”

Teyla keyed the door open and they entered. John stared at the man, person, _thing_ sitting at the desk. His skin was greenish and a sort of slimy, and he was wearing black leather. And his face reminded John of something.

“He looks like a catfish.”

“I think you just put me off catfish forever,” Mer snarked.

Todd chuckled, showing off his sharp teeth. “We are maybe closer to bugs.” His voice reverberated through John’s bones, making him feel sick to his stomach.

“What can I do for you, my friends.” Todd placed his hands in front of him and steepled them, showing off his sharp nails.

“You could stop calling me your friend,” Ronon growled, taking a threatening step forward.

Todd’s eerie smile didn’t waver. “Don’t make me crush you into dust as I did your ancestors, young one.”

“I am sure we can avoid that.” Teyla stated, placing her hand on Ronon’s chest to hold him back. The look on her face garnered no room for disagreement. “We have come in search of information.”

“Ah, then information you shall have.”

Mer snorted.

Teyla hushed him with a look. “We need to know what you know of the Hoffan Plane.”

“It was a pleasant place before my troops destroyed the land.” He looked as if he was remembering something fond. “More recently it is home to some of our more… troubling brethren.”

“And by troubling you mean…?” Mer waved him on.

“I mean the discontents, those who don’t fit with normal Wraith culture.”

“Why wasn’t this reported?” Mer asked, glaring daggers at Todd.

Todd leaned back in his seat. “They haven’t yet done anything to report.”

“They have now,” John butted in, “We’ve traced our killers back to this Hoff place.”

“The Medical Examiner said that there was something off about their cells,” Mer told him, “Do you know who’d be messing around with genetics?”

Todd hummed in thought. “I believe that would be Michael. He was our foremost specialist in genetics until he was removed from his position. He started campaigning for us to start messing with our own genetics. You could imagine how our Queens would take that as an implication of our inferiority. It was not well received.” He chuckled. “His hair was taken to symbolize his shame.”

“Is he on Hoff?”

“Yes, with his assistant, Kenny.”

Mer snapped his fingers and pointed. “That’s our two murders.”

“Do you know of where we can find them on the Hoffan Plane?" Teyla asked, "It is my understanding that there are several portal nexuses there.” 

“Most likely in the ruins of the central city.”

“Great, thanks.” John paused as the sounds of Johnny Cash filled the room. He pulled out his phone and stared at it. “I get service here?”

Mer smirked, looking pleased with himself. “We can tap into any form of communication in the Other Side.”

“Cool,” John said, snapping his phone open. “Sheppard.”

 _”Where the hell are you, man? There’s been another murder.”_ Lorne’s voice sounded far away and fuzzy, but still understandable.

“Where?”

“ _26 North Lincoln._ ”

“Be there in thirty,” John said, mentally doing the math on how long it would take to cross through the portal and make his way there.

“There’s been another kill.” John told the other’s inquisitive stares.

“I’ll come with you,” Mer said, his look just asking John to argue with him. John wanted to kiss the look off his face.

Teyla nodded. “Ronon and I will stay here and prepare for a visit to Hoff.”

They bid Todd farewell and made for the door.

”Detective Sheppard, a word please?” Todd called out just before he crossed the threshold.

John looked back and raised his eyebrow in question.

“The Wraith have the power to sense the Ancients and all their descendants.”

“Nifty party trick. So that’s how Michael is finding these kids so fast.”

“Yes,” Todd said, the sound coming out like a hiss, “You are the person with the strongest hint of their legacy that I have ever seen, and you must remember that I am very old.”

“Really?” John asked. He didn’t really care, but he thought it was a good idea to humor the big scary green monster with razor-sharp teeth.

Not to mention he kind of reminded John of a clown.

Todd smiled as if he could tell just what John was thinking. “I am curious as to why that is, when with every generation of humans I have come across, it gets weaker and weaker.”

“Why are you telling me this?” John didn’t have time to pander to Todd’s inanity.

“There is a prophecy with us that states there will be one that is born of the Ancients and will later become born of the Wraith, never to return to his former self. He will travel with water, earth, and blood, and will fight for those who can’t fight for themselves.” He snorted. “My people have a thing for prophecies that I myself cannot understand.”

“What does that even mean?” It made no sense. Why was this guy telling him this?

“That is for you to find out,” Todd told him cryptically.

“Whatever.” John turned and left. He didn’t have time for this shit.

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

“Who’s this?” John’s old partner asked as they approached the caution tape.

“This is my new partner. Didn’t Chief O’Neill tell you I’d been transferred?”

Meredyth stuck out his hand in greeting. “I’m Agent McKay. We’re working this case now.”

The smaller man glared. “And who’s we?”

“I’m with an agency you’re not cleared to know about.” It was true, just not for the reasons Lorne was probably guessing.

“Fine, whatever, you want us to clear out?”

Meredyth shook his head. “No, we’re just here to observe for now.” He spotted someone he recognized. “Hey, is that Jennifer?”

John nodded. “Yeah, that’s her.”

“Great, let’s go see if she’s got anything new for us.” They left a bewildered Lorne behind and went to her side.

John waved when she noticed them. “Hey, Jennifer.”

She smiled tightly. “I need to talk to you guys.” With a jerk of her head she indicated to a side street.

They followed her over. Meredyth didn’t like the look on her face. It didn’t bode well. “What have you found?”

“That anomaly I found in the vics blood?” She said, glancing around to see if they were out of hearing range, “It’s DNA from an Iratis Bug.”

“Fuck.” This wasn’t good. This was all kinds of not good.

“What’s that?” John inquired.

She grimaced. “It’s a bug found on many of the Wraith Planes. The Wraith and the Iratis have the same relationship genetically that humans and chimpanzees have, similar DNA. It’s believed that the Ancients used Iratis Bug DNA to make the Wraith.”

“So this Michael guy is trying to splice these Iratis bugs with humans that are descendants of the Ancients? But why?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. It obviously didn’t work. I think they drained these kids to hide the effect this DNA manipulation would have on them.”

Meredyth hummed, thinking. What would this Michael guy have to gain from this?

John turned to go, calling over his shoulder, “As pleasant as this conversation is, I need to go find a bathroom. I’ll be back in a few.”

He wasn’t.

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

John slowly woke to the soft sounds of footsteps. He controlled his breathing and didn’t open his eyes as not to alert whoever had him. He was lying on a hard surface and he could feel bands circling his wrists and ankles. Whoever had him didn’t want him to escape anytime soon.

He tried to remember why he was there. The last thing he knew he was stepping out of one of the public restrooms that littered the city, and then… then nothing but a shock that went through his whole body. He vaguely remembered getting a look at black leather boots as he lay on the ground just before he passed out.

The footsteps grew closer and stopped just to his right. “You cannot fool me, Detective Sheppard. I know you’re awake.” The voice was full of amusement, but there was some unknown quality underneath it that sent a shiver down his spine. True insanity, that was it.

John blinked his eyes open and took a look around. The walls looked like sickly flesh and veins climbing towards the ceiling. He caught sight of one of the vein like things trailing from an organic looking machine and followed it down to where it was attached to the inside of his left arm like an IV. He tore his gaze away and looked at the man who’d spoken. “What are you doing to me?”

“Nothing yet,” the Wraith said, smiling down at him. John assumed this was Michael. “I am attempting to continue the work of the Ancients, combining the best from them and the best of the Wraith to make the perfect soldiers. It was silly of me to think that a child’s body could withstand the changes, but I wanted a mind I could nurture. I see now that I will have to make do.”

John jerked at his binds, trying to free himself. It was futile; the fleshy ropes held tight. “You see, that’s where I have an issue with this. I’m pretty sure I don’t want to be combined with anything.”

“You don’t have a choice in the matter, Detective.” Michael ran a finger over the ‘IV’. “Soon my serum will be coursing through your veins and in less than an hour you will be one of my new hybrids. With your changed DNA I believe I can create an army of mindless clones.” Michael turned and walked over to a panel that looked like a piece of skin stretched over a frame.

He jerked harder at the ropes. He had to calm down, had to slow his breathing. Meredyth would find him, he knew it. “To what end?” John called out to him after he’d settled down enough to where he knew his voice would come out steady.

Michael glanced back and smiled, his teeth on display. “To rule the Planes, of course.” He pressed down on a lit up portion of the panel and John screamed as fire poured into his blood.

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

“He’s gone. He just fucking disappeared and I couldn’t find him anywhere. I even had Lorne call him and it said he was out of service range.” Meredyth stopped his pacing and scowled at Elizabeth, “They took him, I just know it.”

“Agent Meredyth, calm down.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down!” He exploded, his whole body shaking, “He’s one of us now and we have to save him before anything happens.”

Meredyth needed John, he may not know why, but he did. There was something between them, something in the way they’d come together the other night, the feelings of magic sparking between them, that twinged at his memory, but he couldn’t place it. Not yet at least, not until he found John and they figured it out together.

“I’m with him,” Ronon said with a tilt of his chin in Meredyth’s direction.

Teyla nodded. “As am I.”

“And I’m not arguing, but what I want to know is how they knew to grab him. Do you think they have a spy here?” She looked betrayed. “Do you think it was Todd?” Todd and she had a weird sort of friendship Meredyth couldn’t understand that they had developed over the thousands of years they’d worked together. Mer secretly thought she was Todd’s food source, among other things.

Teyla looked sympathetic. “He would have nothing to gain from this.”

Meredyth couldn’t believe they were wasting their time talking about this. “This is all interesting and everything, but every second John’s in the hands of Michael, the closer he comes to…” Meredyth threw up his hands, “I don’t even know what, but you could bet that it’s _not good._ ”

“Okay, I get it. Take a Portal Ship. It should get you close to where you need to go without being seen.”

Meredyth nodded and didn’t even wait to be dismissed.

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

“Holy crap, this place looks like a Hive Plane.” Meredyth gripped the controls of the ship harder, willing it faster as they swooped in over the ruined buildings. They were taken over by the Wraith’s organic growths that climbed up the walls like vines. Disgusting purplish vines.

Teyla leaned forward in the co-piolet seat and pointed out the view screen. “I believe that is where we must go.”

Meredyth took in the sight of the building she indicated. It looked like the focal point of the growths. “They must have taken a Seed.”

“Wraith are gross,” Ronon grumbled behind them.

Meredyth set them down as close to the building as he could get and opened the rear hatch. He checked to make sure that he had his canteen with him and grabbed his Stun Gun from his holster. He brought it to the ready as they exited the back and stepped onto abandoned the street.

The Stun Guns sent out a blast of magical energy that rendered any magical creature unconscious. That included everyone except non-ancient descended humans. It was an ingenious design that Meredyth wished he had invented, but it was one of several Wraith techs that was shared after the truce.

Teyla closed her eyes and breathed in. She was probably scenting the air for any trace of John.

“He is here.” Her eyes snapped open. “It is difficult to discern with the Seed growing all over this area, but I believe there is more than the two Wraith we were expecting. They smell of Drones, though.”

Great. Drones were mindless and didn’t need to feed like other Wraith did and they were seen like horses were, beasts of burden, so Meredyth put his gun back in its holster and drew out his canteen.

Calling the water from it, he formed it into a ball floating in the air above his hand and tossed the canteen aside. “If that’s who we’re dealing with, then I can forgo the stunning.”

Teyla nodded and put her own away, drawing out her two short kodachi blades that crisscrossed her back. “I believe you are correct.”

“Got my weapon right here.” Ronon summoned a stone about the size of Meredyth’s head and tossed it up and down like a baseball.

Meredyth took a deep breath to steady himself. This would be his first time in a real fight and he was scared out of his mind, but then he remembered how John looked all sleepy and sated in his arms, how they’d woken up together, and he sucked it up. He needed to be able to have that again. “Let’s go get John back.”

They entered the building to find two guards, Drones, stationed at the door. Teyla nimbly sliced them in half before they even had time to react.

“This way,” she said, leading the way deeper into the complex.

They encountered about ten more Drones along the way, taking turns to kill them; Ronon putting holes through them, Teyla cutting off their heads, and Meredyth turning his water solid and using drops as projectiles he shot through their brains. It was kind of gross and had to keep reminding himself that these creatures were just like cockroaches. They kept popping up but were easy to squish.

Finally they fought their way to a door, Teyla pausing and tilting her head before it. “I hear his heartbeat. He is still alive, but there is someone else there.”

“I’ll get the door.” Teyla stepped back as Ronon slammed his fist into the flesh covered wood, splintering it with a squelching sound.

Meredyth rushed in, ignoring the calls of his teammates. He needed to get to John. He slid to a stop as he saw a Wraith with the shortest hair he’d ever seen on one of them standing before a slab. Meredyth could see John’s legs, his boots hanging off the edge, but the Wraith was blocking his sight of the rest of him.

“I see I’ve been caught. No matter.” The Wraith chuckled. “You’re already too late. My experiment was a success and my subordinate, Kenny, is already on his way to our other lab to create our soldiers. He will free me once he has control of The Council.”

“I’ll open up a portal to a flooded Plane and drown everything on Hoff.” He didn’t know where this sudden feeling of rage was coming from, but didn’t deny it.

“It will do you no good. He’s not on Hoff at this point.”

Meredyth took a step closer, drawing his water up in his hand. “You see this?” He let it go and it splashed to the floor, seeping in to the wood and flesh. “I don’t need that to get what I want from you.” He let all the rage he felt for the kids this psycho had killed, for the parents that were left without their children, for _John_ to fuel his magic.

“Do you know that most creatures, except for a very few, are made almost entirely of water?” He smiled dangerously. “I’ve learned over the centuries in my studies that dehydration can be one of the most excruciating deaths there is. Want to find out?” Meredyth didn’t really know if he could do that, pull the water from someone’s body, but he was willing to find out.

Michael smirked, but some of his earlier confidence was gone, leaving it brittle. “You can’t do that. PIT takes in their arrests to stand trial by The Council.”

“Unless there’s a confession and resistance. I’m sure Teyla and Ronon will vow for me.” He glanced back to see them staring at him with wide eyes. He ignored them.

“I don’t think you have it in you to do that.”

“Try me.”

Michael looked into his eyes and whatever he saw must have scared him because he broke, words spilling out between them. “He’s on Tellos.”

“Great.” Meredyth drew his Stun Gun and fired, Michael dropping like a sack of potatoes.

Meredyth let the others deal with him as he quickly made his way over to John’s side. “Gods.” He breathed out in to the silence as he caught sight of the man.

John was blue and for a moment Meredyth thought that it was because he wasn’t breathing, but saw John’s chest rising and falling. He reached out hesitantly to touch John’s face, feeling scaly ridges protruding from his skin along his chin. His hair looked the same, but everything else was changed.

“John?” Meredyth tapped the side of the man’s face. “John can you hear me?” When he didn’t react, he turned to the others. “We need to get him to Becket now.”

Ronon stood staring with Michael slung over his shoulder. Teyla was frowning at him.

The air snapped with his impatience. “I said now!”

That got them moving.

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

“He seems to be in good health from what I can tell, but you have to remember that I have no idea what good health would be for him now,” Carson told them, “I’ve set him up with an IV for fluids and I’m testing his blood to figure out what was done to him, but that’s all I can do.” He sighed regretfully. “I’m sorry.”

Meredyth listened with half an ear, not stopping his pacing. They’d brought John back and informed Elizabeth of where to send another strike team. Meredyth trusted Stackhouse to get the job done. He was the most vicious Leprechaun Meredyth had ever known.

John was now in the infirmary being looked after by Carson and his team, but Meredyth needed to see him, needed to know he was still john, no matter how he looked. He stopped, “Can I see him?”

Carson nodded, “Aye, I don’t see why not.”

Meredyth pushed past Carson and entered the private room John had been given. Seeing John’s form lying under the blankets made Meredyth think he was sleeping peacefully instead of in a coma. He made his way over to him and sat down in the visitor’s chair. He picked up John’s hand, cradling it in his own, feeling the rough against his. John’s fingers were now tipped in sharp claws like a Wraith’s, dark blue nails fading to light near the cuticles.

“You’re going to be fine, John. I’ll make sure of it.” And he would. He’d do anything to make this right. It was his fault John was in this mess by bringing him into PIT.

He hung his head and prayed to Ryūjin, the Water Dragon God, for the first time in centuries.

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

“Meredyth?”

He blinked his eyes open and noticed that the Lantean sun had risen, its light streaming through the windows and dancing across the room. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and focused on Teyla. “What-?”

“I have brought you food.” She set it on the side table and rolled it over to him.

“Thanks,” he said, digging into the fish soup she’d bought.

“You are welcome.” She sat down in the chair opposite him, on the other side of John’s bed. “He looks much like he did before,” she said looking down at him

Meredyth sat his spoon down. He wasn’t really hungry. “Except for the fact that he doesn’t.”

“Does this bother you?” Her eyes seemed to dig into his soul.

He thought it over carefully. “No. Not the way he looks, but that it happened at all. If I hadn’t-“

“Do not dwell in the past,” she said, cutting him off, “What is done is done, and there should be no room for regrets.”

He hated when she got all deep on him. “That may be, but what will he think of it if he wakes up?”

“ _When_ he wakes up, Meredyth, not if.” She leaned over John and grasped his hand. “I have known you for many years, have I not?”

“Yes,” he said hesitantly. Meredyth didn’t know where she was going with this.

“I can tell you have deep feelings for this man. Deeper than even you realize, and I know that he feels the same way. Do not worry about what he will think about you. Worry about what he will think of himself.” With that she got up and left him to his thoughts.

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

“You stink.” Ronon said as soon as he entered the room.

“Thank you ever so much.” Meredyth said without his usual heat. He just didn’t have the energy.

It had been four days since they’d brought John back and the man hadn’t even twitched. Carson had since found out that there was nothing he could do to change John back. The serum that Michael had used was a melding of both DNA manipulation and magic that Carson couldn’t decipher. They couldn’t ask Michael because he’d been deemed dangerous enough for immediate execution by The Council, and with the confession on record, Elizabeth couldn’t stop it before it was done.

“We’ve found out who was spying on us for them. Thought you’d want to know.”

“Oh?” That peaked his interest.

Ronon leaned against the wall in favor of sitting down. “Yeah, Kavanaugh put surveillance crystals in most of Atlantis.”

Meredyth snorted. He should have known that rotten weasel was behind it. He was the only one other than Elizabeth to know they were seeing Todd for information. He could have easily listened in on their conversation. “If I ever get my hands on him-“

“No need. I’ve taken care of it.”

“What did you do?”

Ronon smiled as much as his rocky visage allowed. “He’s not going to be able to stab anyone in the back anytime soon.”

“Good.” Kavanaugh deserved anything Ronon could dish out.

“You should go get cleaned up. Get some proper sleep. I’ll watch over him.”

Meredyth hesitated, looking down at John’s sleeping form, but his back was killing him and he was starting to smell himself. “Okay. You’ll call me if-“

“You’ll be the first to know.”

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

Meredyth stepped into his room, his eyes drawn to the bed still rumpled from the one night he and John shared. He paused, remembering what it felt like to have John moving over him.

He shook himself and ripped off his shirt. He didn’t know why he felt this way. Like he was missing a part of himself, like he was missing his… mate. No that couldn’t be it. It was rare that a Dragon found their mate outside of their own species, even rarer that it was of the same gender. But it wasn’t _entirely_ impossible.

Meredyth let his pants slip off his hips and climbed the latter on his tank, jumping in and changing forms. He curled up on the bottom, letting the water sooth him. Meredyth hoped Teyla was right about John’s feelings towards him if it turned out John was his mate.

Meredyth didn’t want to feel empty anymore.

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

When Meredyth got back to John’s room he was rested, but he didn’t feel any better. If anything he felt worse. He knew that once a Dragon found their mate they couldn’t go long without… getting physical with them or they’d waste away. He had to face the facts. John was his mate and there was nothing he could do about it.

He didn’t want to do anything about it except wake John up.

Elizabeth was sitting in the visitors chair when he arrived. “Where’s Ronon?”

She smiled kindly. “He’s getting something to eat. I offered to take watch.” She looked back down to John as Meredyth sat. “You just missed Carson. He said he found out that John now has the life expectancy of any Para-being.”

“Which is to say forever if nothing tries to kill him.”

She nodded. “I also think you’d like to know that Carson said John’s brainwaves are showing signs of REM sleep. It looks like he just sleeping now instead of in a coma. He said he’ll wake up in a day or so.”

Meredyth slumped with relief. He hadn’t wanted to die slowly from pining. “Thank you, Ryūjin.”

Elizabeth gave him a sympathetic look. “I’ll leave you two alone for now.”

He nodded never taking his eyes from John’s sleeping face.

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

Meredyth woke, almost falling out of his chair, when he heard a deep inhale from the infirmary bed. “John?”

He leaned over John’s prone form and jumped back as his eyes snapped open. They were now a bright yellow instead of their usual hazel, slitted pupils that were almost catlike. _Wraith-like_ , he amended. They were just as beautiful as before.

“John?” He tried again, more hesitant and fearing the worst. What if he wasn’t the same in his mind as he was before?

John’s eyes focused on him and a series of clicks escaped from his throat. Meredyth frowned. “How about some water?”

He grabbed the pitcher from the side table and filled a glass. Putting in a straw, he touched it to John’s lips and let him have his fill.

John sighed and leaned back to rest his head. A few more of those clicks came out, but John cleared his throat and swallowed a few times. “What happened?”

Mer sighed in relief. At least John sounded the same. “Do you remember being taken by Michael?” At John’s nod he continued, “He… gave you something that…“

John’s eyes narrowed. “What did he do, Mer?”

Meredyth sighed, hating that he had to do this. Hating what this might do to John. “He changed your genetic structure, causing some irreversible… things.”

“What did he do?” John scowled, rising up onto his elbows. He looked down at himself and Meredyth could see the moment it came crashing down, the horror and pain flashing across his face. “What-”

Meredyth pressed him back into the bed, but John was having none of that. It was like pressing against a wall. He was sure John wasn’t this strong before.

Meredyth gave up trying to get the man to relax. “It’s not that bad.” He winced as soon as it came out of his mouth.

“Not that bad?” John said looking disgusted, “I’m a… I don’t even know what. I’m fucking blue and scaly, for god’s sake!”

Meredyth suddenly felt self-conscious, a pain stabbing through his heart. “I know you haven’t seen what I really look like yet, but I must inform you that I’m also blue and scaly.”

“That’s not the same.”

“How is that not the same?”

“I wasn’t born this way. I didn’t ask to be this.”

Meredyth crossed his arms, suddenly tired beyond what he thought he could endure. “Get up.”

“What?”

“I said get up,” he stated firmly, not leaving any room for argument.

John swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood. Meredyth caught his elbow when he swayed. “Where are we going? Isn’t there a doctor or something that needs to see me first?”

Meredyth supported John as they made their way out of the room. “He’s right there. Hey Becket!” He called out, causing Carson to jump in his seat as he jerked his gaze from the reports he was reading. “I’m taking John outside.”

“Like bloody hell you are.” Carson rose from his chair and made his way around his desk.

“He’s perfectly fine. I just need to show him something.” Meredyth tried to get his message through with his eyes.

Something must have gotten through because Carson nodded. “Okay, but if anything happens…”

“I’ll give you a buzz.”

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

John was kind of overwhelmed as they made their way to the down the hall. He could hear and smell thousands of things he knew he shouldn’t be able to. Everything felt different, even the air on his new blue skin.

John nose picked up a whiff of the sea and he realized it was Meredyth he smelled, not the ocean outside. He leaned in closer and inhaled deeply picking out the different smells that made up the Dragon’s unique scent. There was the detergent from his clothes, the coffee he must have drank, the fish he ate, but underneath it all was the intoxicating smell of salt water.

John loved the ocean. He used to go there a lot when he was a kid with his mother. She’d been the one who’d taught him how to surf and how to go sailing. The smell made him feel safe, like nothing was wrong in the world.

He blinked his eyes open, realizing he’d shut them. The light hurt his eyes and he hissed, or he thought he did, but the sound coming out in agitated clicks that started deep in his throat.

“What was that?” Mer asked as they stepped into the teleport chamber. He looked tired and drawn, Skin paler than John remembered.

“I don’t know. My throat just did it by itself.”

Mer just hummed and pressed the button for the pier as if it was normal for everyone to suddenly start making weird noises.

They stepped out in to the bright sunlight and John had to cover his eyes. “The light hurts.”

“Just a second.” Mer went over to a table sitting next to the teleport and pick up a pair of sunglasses from the basket there. “Here.”

“That’s handy,” John said placing them on his face. It caught on some of his scales he could feel there, but it didn’t hurt.

“You’re not the only one of us to have photosensitivity.” He pointed down to the end of the pier. “Do you see those Para-beings over there?”

John saw the people playing in the water, some of them sitting on the side letting their…tails dangle over the edge. “Mermaids, huh.”

“They have scales.”

John sighed, the noise ending in another of those clicks. “Yes, but that’s not my point.”

“What is your point?”

Mer sounded worn down and John wanted to hold him, protect him, take him somewhere safe, back to his… his… nest. It was like an instinct he could barely hold back.

“What _exactly_ did he do to me?”

Mer frowned. “Michael basically turned you into one of us. Granted, a new species of Para-being, but a Para-being none the less.”

“Can I ever go back to Earth now?” There wasn’t much for him there, but he had his regrets. He’d never be able to see his brother again, never be able to make it right between them.

“With one of my glamors you should be able to look like you did before,” Mer said, “I’m still working on that longer lasting model, but it shouldn’t take too much longer. I’m going to fit the crystal for it into a watch to hide it.”

“But that will still only last days.”

“So? Your life’s here now, you don’t need to go back there for any significant length of time.”

John peered over the edge of the pier and into the waters not more than a foot below, seeing his reflection for the first time. “This isn’t me.”

Meredyth huffed. “It is now. There’s nothing we can do.”

“You’re taking this pretty calmly. How can you stand to look at me?”

“You know what? I think a demonstration is in order.” Mer took off his shirt, moving slow and careful as if it hurt, and then started in on his pants.

“What are you doing?” John wanted to hide Mer from the sight of everyone on the pier. Not just because he thought it was something that would be frowned upon, but because he didn’t want anyone to see Meredyth’s smooth pale skin but him.

“I’m making my point, unlike some people.” He dropped his pants and stepped out of them. He went to the water’s edge and dived in.

John started to worry when Mer didn’t surface right away. He was just about to go in after him when he saw the water ripple.

He stepped back as a large scaly head peeked out of the water. “Holy crap.” The thing must be at least thirty feet long judging by the head. Its scales shown in the light of the sun, silver and blue, and... beautiful.

“Meredyth?” John asked, reaching out hesitantly to touch.

“ _See, scaly and blue._ ”

John frowned, trying to figure out how he could hear Meredyth’s voice, but soon realized it was in his mind. “You’re telepathic?”

“ _Only in my true form. _”__

“You’re incredible,” John whispered, stroking Meredyth’s scales. They were smooth to the touch and John wanted to keep feeling them forever. 

_"So are you. To me at least._ ” 

John felt some primal urge course through his body. He needed this man, Dragon that accepted him so easily, needed to have him by John’s side, and not just now, but forever. He needed his mate. 

John thought that these urges were coming from his new Iratis DNA and that scared him a little, but he wasn’t going to deny them. As Mer had said, there was nothing he could do about it now, and he was suddenly okay with that, just as long as Meredyth was there with him. 

“I need you.” John said, running his hand down Mer’s snout.

_"Oh, thank the gods."_

ATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT

__John dragged Mer to his, _their_ , room. He could barely keep his hands off of Meredyth but he needed to get his mate back to a safe dark place before they did anything._ _

__“Whoa, slow down. I’m kind of worn out here and going at this speed isn’t going to help any.”_ _

__“Haven’t you been sleeping?” John ground out, his mind on getting to their nest as soon as possible._ _

__“It didn’t help.”_ _

__John slowed down enough to accommodate for his mate’s fatigue. “Why not?”_ _

__“It’s a Dragon thing.” Meredyth evaded, not looking John in the eyes._ _

__“Don’t give me that crap.” John finally saw the door to their rooms and clicked out his relief._ _

__“As a Dragon, I have one true mate. When we meet our mates we can’t survive without them. Our body chemistry and magics align with them and we need to share bodily fluids and magic with them to live.” Meredyth blushed, color rising in his cheeks. “You’re my mate.”_ _

__John breathed in deep at hearing the word cross Meredyth lips. He opened the door and shoved Meredyth through, pinning him to the wall as the door closed behind them._ _

__“Mate.” John hissed out as he let his new instincts out. He buried his nose in Meredyth’s neck inhaling his scent. He felt Mer’s hands run through his hair and clutch his head._ _

__“Yes,” Mer whispered, the husky tone sending shivers through John._ _

__John stepped back with reluctance and impatiently ripped through Mer’s shirt, revealing his smooth skin._ _

__“I liked that shirt.”_ _

__“I’ll buy you another one.” John ran his hands down Mer’s chest, careful not to mar his skin with his claws._ _

__Mer shivered. “We need… bed, we need the bed.”_ _

__“Need to be in you now,” John said pressing back into him._ _

__“I’m good with that. I’m really good with that, but the lube is over _near the bed._ ”_ _

__John sighed and pushed off from the wall. Mer scrambled over to the bed and pulled the nightstand drawer open, grabbing out the lube and throwing on the mattress. Mer peeled himself out of his pants and John purred, a soft rumble from the same place in his throat as the clicks. Mer’s ass was a thing of beauty, perfect and round._ _

__“That is so hot,” Mer said as he turned around, showing how much the sound affected him. “I think you need to lose the clothes.”_ _

__John shucked his scrub top and looked down at himself for the first time. His chest hair was gone, which was weird, but dealable. He was blue all over like expected, but the scales weren’t everywhere like he feared. They seemed to be concentrated over his prominent bones like his ribs and collar bones, just like they were along his jaw and cheek bones._ _

__When he hesitated to take off his pants Mer said, “It still looks the same. Well, blue, but not incased in scales or anything.” At John’s look he shrugged, “You needed a sponge bath while you were out and I wasn’t about to let anyone else touch you like that.”_ _

__John chuckled, and taking his word for it, shucked his scrub bottoms. John saw that Mer was right. His cock still looked the same if you ignored the fact that it was indigo. Whatever, if Mer didn’t care, he wouldn’t either._ _

__Mer sat on the side of the bed and beckoned him over, “Get your scaly ass over here.”_ _

__John resisted the urge to look behind him to see if his ass really was scaly and gave in to the urge to kiss Mer. He leaned down over his mate and took possession of his mouth, Mer opening for him right away. The electricity, magic, tingling his lips and tongue._ _

__Mer moaned and John had to run his hands down from Mer’s neck to his pink nipples. They hadn’t explored each other much the last time they had sex, but he want to feel, smell, and taste every inch of the man this time._ _

__John pulled back, panting harshly. “Lay back.”_ _

__Mer went without complaint and John followed him down, Mer spreading his legs to cradle John between his thighs. John licked Mer’s throat, tasting the salty ocean on his skin, and made his way down, stopping to suck in his pebbled nipples, first one then the other. Mer was making the hottest little whines and mewls in his throat and it drove him on._ _

__He made his way down, over the soft stomach, to Mer’s bellybutton, dipping his tongue inside. Mer squeaked and swatted at him. John growled, nipping at the skin, and Mer moaned, gripping the sheets so tight his knuckles went white._ _

__“Please… need…” Mer panted out._ _

__John seemed to be unable to form words through his clicks and rumbles. He needed to feel all of his mate before he claimed him, needed to imprint on him._ _

__He continued down and licked a stripe up the underside of Mer’s cock, tasting the bitter taste of precum on the tip and purring at the magic that was zinging back and forth. He looked up into the blue eyes of his mate._ _

__“Oh gods, you’re so fucking hot.”_ _

__John purred his approval. He wanted, no needed, his mate to need him. John moved down Mer’s leg, ignoring his protests, and up the other one, when he was done he sat back on his heels and tapped Mer’s side, clicking._ _

__“Yes, gods, finally.” Mer flipped onto his stomach and John purred as he started in again, working his way up. John skipped Mer’s ass, knowing both his mate and him were too worked up for it to last if he didn’t._ _

__He traced the freckles on his mates back with his tongue and nipped at his shoulder, rubbing his cock between Mer’s ass cheeks._ _

__Mer pushed back into him, “Oh yes, please? Need you.”_ _

__John sat back, hating to lose the feeling of his skin against Mer’s, but he had one last place to taste. He gripped Mer’s hips and guided him onto his hands and knees. He spread Mer’s ass to see his puckered hole and John ran his tongue along the crack, Mer whining and pushing back into it. Using the tip of his tongue he circled Mer’s hole and then gently probed it, getting deeper each time and tasting Mer's earthy bold flavor._ _

__Mer was rocking back into it constantly by the time John was finished. John reached for the lube but paused when he caught sight of his hands. He growled._ _

__“What-?” Mer glanced back, “Oh claws. Right. We’re going to have to get you a file.” He reached beside him and picked up the lube. Going down to his elbows, he squirted the lube onto his fingers and reached, putting two in without any resistance._ _

__John purred at the sight of his mate fingering himself. It wasn’t long before Mer had three in and then he pulled his fingers out. “Now, I’m ready.”_ _

__John grabbed the lube and slicked himself up. Grabbing Mer’s hips, he lined his cock up with Mer’s slick hole and pushed in. Mer screamed out his pleasure as John bottomed out. He was tight, slick, _perfect_._ _

__Mer whined and tried to move but John held him tight, keeping him still. He needed his mate to accept it, take what john was giving him without compliant. John pulled out slowly, taking his time, and slammed back into his mate’s tight heat hard, growling at how good it felt. He started up a rhythm, getting faster as he grew close._ _

__John felt something was missing though. He let go of Mer’s hips and wrapped his arms around his chest. John leaned back, forcing Mer to sit in his lap and causing John to go deeper inside his mate. He guided Mer into riding him, his thighs and calves flexing as he rose and fell on John’s cock. Mer reached back over his head and treaded his hands into John’s hair, tilting his head to the side as if he knew exactly what John needed._ _

__“Gods, yes,” Mer said as he rode John faster, slamming back down onto his cock._ _

__John opened his mouth and gently placed it over Mer’s neck, biting down, but not hard enough to break the skin. He reached around and gripped Mer’s cock and it only took one careful pull before he felt his mate spill over his hand, Mer crying out as he came._ _

__John bit down as he felt his mate tighten around him and came with a jerk of his hips to the rush of magic flooding him._ _

__He licked Mer’s neck to sooth the wound and set him down on the bed, gently pulling out his softening cock with a wince. Mer grumbled and John smiled, wrapping himself around him. He barely noticed it when cool water slid over his skin and then retreated._ _

__Mer turned in his arms and blinked at him sleepily. “You talkative again?”_ _

__“No,” John said, hiding his face into Mer’s neck and licking the mark he put there._ _

__He could feel Mer yawn. “I guess it can wait. We’ve got forever.”_ _

__John liked the sound of that. He was looking forward to forever with his mate by his side._ _

**Author's Note:**

> As always, I feel like this could have been better, but I'm still pretty pleased with the results. I think I might revisit this one like I did THTE, with little scenes and such, but of course that's up to Patrick.


End file.
